• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.5 s.86
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• pp.415-422
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• 2005

The photocatalytic decolorization of Reactive Red 2B(RR2B) was studied using immobilized photocatalyst/UV System. Two pairs of 20 W UV-B and UV-C lamps were employed as the light source. Immobilization of $TiO_2$ was carried out using sponge (as the photocatalyst body) and silicone sealant(as the binder). The effects of parameters such as the thickness, pore size of sponge photocatalyst and attached material on the reactor bottom were investigated. The results showed that the optimum thickness of sponge photocatalyst was 1 cm. Decolorization of reactor which had the bottom coated $TiO_2$ was higher than that of reactor attached aluminum plate. Decolorization of photocatalyst with large pore size(mean pore size, 3.8 mm) was higher than that of the small(mean pore size, 1.75 mm). Initial decolorization of RR2B could be descrived using the Langmuir-Hinshelwood(L-H) model and gave constant values of $0.55mg/l{\cdot}min(k)\;and\;2.65{\times}10^{-2}l/mg(K)$, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.284-284
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• 2010

Currently, hydrogen has been produced by Steam Reforming or partial oxidation reforming processes mainly from oil, coal, and natural gas and results in the production of $CO_2$. However, these are influenced greatly on the green house effect of the earth. so it is important to find the new way to produce hydrogen utilizing water without producing any environmentally harmful by-products. In our research, we use microwave water plasma and photocatalyst to improve dissociation rate of water. At low pressure plasma, electron have high energy but density is low, so temperature of reactor is low. This may cause of recombination in the generated hydrogen and oxygen from splitting water. If it want to high dissociation rate of water, it is necessary to control of recombination of the hydrogen and oxygen using photocatalyst. We utilize the photocatalytic material($TiO_2$, ZnO) coated plasma reactor to use UV in the plasma. The quantity of hydrogen generated was measured by a Residual Gas Analyzer.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.377-389
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• 2022

The current global energy supply depends heavily on fossil fuels. This makes technology such as direct water splitting from harvesting solar energy in photoelectrochemical (PEC) systems potentially attractive due to its a promising route for environmentally benign hydrogen production. In this study, undoped and nickel-doped molybdenum oxide photoanodes (called photoanodes S₁ and S₂ respectively) were synthesized through electrodeposition by applying -1.377 V vs Ag/AgCl (3 M KCl) for 3 hours on an FTO-coated glass substrate immersed in molibdatecitrate aqueous solutions at pH 9. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used for microstructural and compositional characterizations of the photoanodes. In addition, the optical and photoelectrochemical characterizations of these photoanodes were performed by UV-Visible spectroscopy, and linear scanning voltammetry (LSV) respectively. The results showed that all the photoanodes produced exhibit conductivity and catalytic properties that make them attractive for water splitting application in a photoelectrochemical cell. In this context, the photoanode S₂ exhibited better photocatalytic activity than the photoanode S₁. In addition, photoanode S₂ had the lowest optical band-gap energy value (2.58 eV), which would allow better utilization of the solar spectrum.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.771-780
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• 2014

In this study, the various organic supports (i.e., silicone, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, epoxy, and, butadiene rubber) with great sorption capacity of organic contaminants were chosen to develop nano-ZnO/organic composites (NZOCs) and to prevent the detachment of nano-ZnO particles. The water resistance of the developed NZOCs were evaluated, and the feasibility of the developed NZOCs were investigated by evaluating the removal efficiency of 1,1,2-trichloroethylene (TCE) in the aqueous phase. Based on the results from water-resistance experiments, long-term water treatment usage of all NZOCs was found to be feasible. According to the FE-SEM, EDX, and imaging analysis, nano-ZnO/butadiene rubber composite (NZBC) with various sizes and types of porosity and crack was measured to be coated with relatively homogeneously-distributed nano-ZnO particles whereas nano-ZnO/silicone composite (NZSC), nano-ZnO/ABS composite (NZAC), and nano-ZnO/epoxy composite (NZEC) with poorly-developed porosity and crack were measured to be coated with relatively heterogeneously-distributed nano-ZnO particles. The sorption capacity of NZBC was close to 60% relative to the initial concentration, and this result was mainly attributed to the amorphous structure of NZBC, hence the hydrophobic partitioning of TCE to the amorphous structure of NZBC intensively occurred. The removal efficiency of TCE in aqueous phase using NZBC was close to 99% relative to the initial concentration, and the removal efficiency of TCE was improved as the amount of NZBC increased. These results stemmed from the synergistic mechanisms with great sorption capability of butadiene rubber and superior photocatalytic activities of nano-ZnO. Finally, the removal efficiency of TCE in aqueous phase using NZBC was well represented by linear model ($R^2{\geq}0.936$), and the $K_{app}$ values of NZBC were from 2.64 to 3.85 times greater than those of $K_{photolysis}$, indicating that butadiene rubber was found to be the suitable organic supporting materials with enhanced sorption capacity and without inhibition of photocatalytic activities of nano-ZnO.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.256-261
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• 2009

Hydrophilic and transparent $TiO_2$ thin film was fabricated by sol-gel method and the properties of contact angle, surface morphology, and transmittance were measured. In addition, surfactant Tween 80 was used for increasing the hydrophilic property of thin film. When the contents of Tween 80 in $TiO_2$ solution was 0, 10, 30, 50wt%, the contact angles of $TiO_2$ thin film were $41.4^{\circ}$, $18.2^{\circ}$, $16.0^{\circ}$, $13.2^{\circ}$, respectively. Fabricated $TiO_2$ thin film showed the photocatalytic property that decomposed methylene blue and decreased the absorbance of solution after UV irradiation. $TiO_2$ thin films fabricated with the solution of 30 wt% Tween 80 were deposited on glass (bare), antimony tin oxide (ATO), fluorine tin oxide (FTO), indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates, and the contact angle and transmittance of thin film was measured. The contact angles of thin films deposited on four substrates were $16.2\sim27.1^{\circ}$ and was decreased to the range of $13.2\sim17.6^{\circ}$ after UV irradiation, Especially, the thin films coated on ATO and FTO glass substrate showed high transmittance of 74.6% in visible range, respectively, and low transmittance of 54.2% and 40.4% in infrared range, respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) can be deposited on various substrates using chemical vapor deposition process, which results in the formation of PDMS thin films with thickness below 5 nm. PDMS layers can be evenly deposited on surfaces of nanoparticles composed of various chemical compositions such as $SiO_2$, $TiO_2$, ZnO, C, Ni, and NiO, and the PDMS-coated surface becomes completely hydrophobic. These hydrophobic layers are highly resistant towards degradation under acidic and basic environments and UV-exposures. Nanoparticles coated with PDMS can be used in various environmental applications: hydrophobic silica nanoparticles can selectively interact with oil from oil/water mixture, suppressing fast diffusion of spill-oil on water and allowing more facile physical separation of spill-oil from the water. Upon heat-treatments of PDMS-coated $TiO_2$ under vacuum conditions, $TiO_2$ surface becomes completely hydrophilic, accompanying formation oxygen vacancies responsible for visible-light absorption. The post-annealed $PDMS-TiO_2$ shows enhanced photocatalytic activity with respect to the bare $TiO_2$ for decomposition of organic dyes in water under visible light illumination. We show that the simple PDMS-coating process presented here can be useful in a variety of field of environmental science and technology.

• Clean Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.419-425
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• 2012

This work explored the characteristics and the photocatalytic activities of S element-doped $TiO_2$ (S-$TiO_2$) and N element-doped $TiO_2$ (N-$TiO_2$) for the decomposition of gas-phase isopropyl alcohol (IPA) at sub-ppm concentrations, using a plug-flow reactor irradiated by 8-W daylight lamp or visible light-emitting-diodes (LEDs). In addition, the generation yield of acetone during photocatalytic processes for IPA at sub-ppm levels was examined. The surface characteristics of prepared S- and N-$TiO_2$ photocatalysts were analyzed to indicate that they could be effectively activated by visible-light irradiation. Regarding both types of photocatalysts, the cleaning efficiency of IPA increased as the air flow rate (AFR) was decreased. The average cleaning efficiency determined via the S-$TiO_2$ system for the AFR of 2.0 L $min^{-1}$ was 39%, whereas it was close to 100% for the AFR of 0.1 L $min^{-1}$. Regarding the N-$TiO_2$ system, the average cleaning efficiency for the AFR of 2.0 L $min^{-1}$ was above 90%, whereas it was still close to 100% for the AFR of 0.1 L $min^{-1}$. In contrast to the cleaning efficiencies of IPA, both types of photocatalysts revealed a decreasing trend in the generation yields of acetone with decreasing the AFR. Consequently, the N-$TiO_2$ system was preferred for cleaning of sub-ppm IPA to S-$TiO_2$ system and should be operated under low AFR conditions to minimize the acetone generation. In addition, 8-W daylight lamp exhibited higher cleaning efficiency of IPA than for visible LEDs.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.10 no.2 s.31
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

In this study we proposed on effect of the photodecomcomposition of coated nanofiber by $Pd/TiO_2$ for the removal of formaldehyde gas as indoor air pollutant. The photocatalytic reactor was setup in the inside of rectangular box (volume 2 l), UV lamp and the coating nanofiber with $Pd/TiO_2$. This study investigated the reaction rate and the adsorption constant of Langmuir-Heinshelwood, conversion of formaldehyde gas on temperature ($40^{\circ}C{\sim}80^{\circ}C$), effect of conversion (%) under different concentration, and effect of conversion (%) with humidity level on added $SO_2$ gas. As results, the rate constant (k) and adsorption constant (ft) were 114.94ppmv/min, $0.0036ppmv^{-1}$, respectively. and the conversion (%) of formaldehyde gas on temperature ($40^{\circ}C{\sim}80^{\circ}C$) was decreased to about 24%, compare with the first conversion (%). In conversion effect of increasing humidity levels, the presence of sulfur dioxide further decreased than without sulfur dioxide. the decreasing reason of conversion with presence sulfur dioxide judged as a cause of interference factor on the decrease of contact chance with photocatalysts.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.215-220
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• 2016

A new immobilization technique of nanoscale $TiO_2$ powder to expanded polystyrene (EPS) balls with temperature-controlled melting method was developed, and the photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$ powder-embedded EPS balls were evaluated using methylene blue (MB) solution under ultraviolet irradiation (${\lambda}=254nm$). Based on the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and associated energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis, the components of the intact EPS balls were mainly carbon and oxygen, whereas those of $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS balls were carbon, oxygen, and titanium, indicating that relatively homogenous patches of $TiO_2$ and glycerin film were coated on the surface of EPS balls. Based on the comparison of degradation efficiencies of MB between intact and $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS balls under UVC illumination, the degradation efficiencies of MB can be significantly improved using $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS balls, and surface reactions in heterogeneous photocatalysis were more dominant than photo-induced radical reactions in aqueous solutions. Thus, $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS balls were found to be an effective photocatalyst for photodegradation of organic compounds in aqueous solutions without further processes (i.e., separation, recycling, and regeneration of $TiO_2$ powder). Further study is in progress to evaluate the feasibility for usage of buoyant $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS to inhibit the excessive growth of algae in rivers and lakes.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.407-412
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• 2004

Photo decomposition of gas phase benzene by $TiO_2$ thin films chemically deposited on alumina balls were investigated under UV irradiation. Photo decomposition rates were measured in real time during the reaction using a photo ionization detector, which ionizes C-H bonding of benzene molecules and then converts into volatile organic compounds (VOCs) concentrations. From the measuring results, the VOCs concentration increased instantly when IN irradiated because C-H bonds of benzene molecules strongly absorbed on the surface of $TiO_2$ films before the IN irradiation was destroyed by photo decomposition. After that, the VOCs concentration decreased with increasing surface area of $TiO_2$ and reaction time under the IN irradiation. At the optimal conditions for the photo decomposition of gas phase benzene, the reaction rate of the photo decomposition for high concentrations (over 60 ppm) was slow but that of relatively low concentration (under 60 ppm) was fast, due to limited surface area of $TiO_2$ thin films for the reaction. Thus, it is concluded that the photo decomposition rate was mainly affected by the surface area of $TiO_2$ or absorption reaction.